Photographing the Desert in the UAE
Deserts are magical and unique places, offering spectacular vistas, intense, constantly changing colors, towering dunes, peaceful tranquility, and incredible starry skies.
Photographing the desert is really something special, and it is well worth doing. The sands are constantly shifting because of the winds, which creates incredible shapes in the sand. The colors can also change dramatically at sunrise and sunset to reddish-orange tones. Plus, there is plenty of wildlife in the desert to photograph.
In the UAE, there are many locations to choose from, but there are two locations that stand-out for me. I will describe my experience in two of my favorite ones below.
The first location is Al Maha Luxury Resort, which is close to Dubai (marked 1 on the map below). The second location, is the Qasr Al Sarab by Anantara (marked 2 below) which is close to the border of Saudi Arabia.
Photography Gear & Tips
In terms of photography gear, my recommendation is 1 body ( i.e., Canon EOR R5/6/7, Nikon Z7/8/9), and a 24-105 mm or a 24-240mm or something equivalent.
I usually travel with 2 lenses (a very wide lens like the 15-35 mm and a medium telephoto 70-200mm) but it is not necessary to bring 2 lenses. I would also bring a Tripod, to capture the desert, early in the morning or in the evening. I would also bring a rocket blower or lens pen for the sand that might get on your lens. Using a microfiber could scratch your lens.
Be careful if you decide to change your lens while in the desert. If I have to change lens, I will go into my car and do it, so I reduce the chances of sand getting on my sensor or inside the camera.
Once the sun sets, don’t put the camera away! There is still plenty of desert photos to capture like silhouettes and the night sky. I also like to get my camera really low to capture the textures and patterns of the sand. Astro Photography in the desert is incredible! I try to use Photopills to find nice alignments.
Other Gear To Consider
A safe and fun trip to the desert starts with careful preparation. The first thing is to choose the right time to visit based on your temperature tolerance.
Depending on the time of your visit, consider several items for safety and comfort:
A hat to shield you from the sun
Several bottles of water to stay hydrated
Sunglasses and sunscreen
A GPS (phones don’t work in many remote locations)
A scarf to cover your neck and your face
A long sleeve shirt to block out the sun
Good quality hiking boots
Not Getting Stuck in the Desert
One thing you have to be very careful of is not to get stuck in the sand. It's much easier than you might think. So I would definitely recommend driving a 4x4 SUV if possible and being very careful where you park and if you take any internal roads.
On a recent trip, we stopped right off the main road with 2 tires still on the roadside and 2 tires in the sand. While I thought I had parked in a safe way, we got completely stuck. So we had to call our hotel and they thankfully helped us pull the car out of the sand.
But that's where our problems started. The first person from the hotel that came out to help us managed to pull our rear bumper completely off the car. He tied a rope to the back bumper and hit the accelerator so hard that our car was damaged. So he called a second person that was more knowledgeable, and eventually, we were able to get back on the road (with our bumper in the back of the car :)
My Favorite Option - Al Maha Luxury Desert Resort
We have stayed at Al Maha 3 times, and I have enjoyed each visit (here is a review from another blogger). Yes, it is expensive, but all your meals and activities are included in the standard rate. I have always been lucky to find the Bonvoy Award available at this property.
It is definitely worth the trip to the Maha Resort, which is inside a massive desert conservation area. It is only about a 1 hour and 15 minutes drive from the center of Dubai. Once you arrive at the hotel, you will feel that you have been transported to a different world.
Al Maha is named after the the Arabian Oryx. In the desert conservation area, surrounding the resort, you will see plenty of Oryx roaming the grounds.
Once you arrive at the resort, you will be offered a refreshing beverage while checking into your room. The service in this hotel is very friendly and welcoming.
The standard room in Al Maha is a Bedouin Suite, which is a large private villa of 75m² (750 Square feet), which includes your own private deck with incredible desert views and your own private pool. All the rooms are tastefully decorated in an Arabian style with artifacts, carpets, and a very cozy bed
Something I did not expect, is how good the food is in this property in the middle of the desert.
One of the nicest things about this property is the wildlife that comes right up to your pool. They will drink from the pool and hope that you give them a snack (which you are not supposed to do).
If you want to relax, this is the place, since it is so peaceful and quiet. Not only are the surroundings stunning, but there is also a lot of wildlife to see.
One thing that you should not miss are the "hotel experiences". These experiences, are included with your room, and you get to choose 1 activity per day such as (archery, falconry, desert walks and wildlife drives). My favorite activity is falconry where you see some amazing birds up close and learn about their habitat.
The hotel is perfect for a 1-2 night stay and if you can use Bonvoy points it's a great value.
QASR AL SARAB DESERT
The Qasr-al-Sarab is another property that we visited. It is a special place because it has one of the world's largest deserts surrounding it. It is located about 2 hours from Abu Dhabi or 3.5 hours from Dubai.
This area is called "the Empty Quarter," and it is close to the border of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is very remote! Did I mention it is remote :). The drive to the property is so scenic.
Once you arrive at the massive wooden gates of Qasr Al Sarab, it is like arriving at an Arabian palace in Aladdin. The word "Qasr" means a palace or castle in Arabic.
Each of the rooms in this property has stunning views of the desert. Also, the roads leading up to the property are breathtaking. There are plenty of great photography locations in this area.
Unlike the Al-Maha, your meals and activities are NOT included in the room rate so you should keep this in mind when comparing the 2 properties.
It is easier to photograph the desert from Qasr-Al-Sarab because the roads leading up to the property provide a lot of options.
Final THOUGHTS
I enjoyed the Qasr-Al-Sarab, but if I could only choose 1 property, I would go to the Al-Maha. It is much easier to get to, all your meals and activities are included, the staff are kinder and more knowledgeable and the property itself is more luxurious.
The desert is one of the most breathtaking natural landscapes on the planet. If you have the chance to photograph the desert, especially the ones in the UAE, do not miss out on it!!